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Nursery Outdoor Play Equipment install a variety of educational outdoor play equipment for nurseries and schools.
We can install a variety of educational outdoor play equipment in Lye Head for nurseries and schools. Nurseries and school playgrounds aren't just a place for youngsters to let off steam during break time and lunchtime.
These areas are, in fact, a crucial part of a child's Early Years Foundation Stage, a curriculum which sets the standards of learning and development for kids from birth to the age of 5.
Characterised by seven key learning goals, the EYFS lays down the foundations for every child's future education and guides children towards these learning goals through games and play.
All of a sudden, the humble school playground suddenly becomes the place where there is huge scope and opportunity to take the EYFS curriculum outside of the classroom and build these foundation skills in an outdoor area.
What this means for any school and nursery though is that a stimulating playground environment with the correct sort of educational outdoor playground apparatus is essential.
Think about the last time you strolled past a nursery and glanced into its playground, taking in the colourful playground markings, the sandpit and activity panels. Far from being for show, these different products are designed to help kids develop their EYFS skills in subjects such as maths, phonics, communication and emotional development.
The emphasis on this clever apparatus though is that whilst the children view this equipment as 'fun' and 'playtime', the intention of educational outdoor play equipment is to help children to learn as they play.
Nurseries and pre-schools embrace a whole host of educational activities and the wide variety serves not only to keep youngsters engaged and stimulated, but it to also allows them to work towards meeting their EYFS learning goals.
Learning is made to be as fun as possible and youngsters participate in an incredibly wide range of activities when in the classroom.
Educational nursery activities in Lye Head can consist of many things. Creativity is a common option where children are encouraged to experiments with paints and colour, using utensils such as plastic forks to print and to paint.
Making paper chains, a musical rice shaker or a birthday chart are all popular activities.
Messy play is also encouraged as an educational nursery activity; this might involve kids enjoying hand and feet painting, creating sensory smell bags or enjoying some mud playing.
Such activities, whilst seemingly just 'good fun' do of course have a hidden educational agenda.
For example, an activity involving children making 'Ten Green Bottles' to use whilst singing the song promotes numeracy; whilst creating a collage of the children's favourite foods develops their verbal reasoning skills by encouraging a child to explain their preferences and also encourage them to describe tastes and textures- a nice little introduction to the world of adjectives and descriptive writing, a skill which is ultimately included on GCSE English exam papers.
Some schools may even incorporate the globe when thinking about educational learning. This can be included within the play area as a graphic or thermoplastic marking.
Educational nursery activities also lend themselves to outdoor activities, so when youngsters do need a change of scene, it's essential that the outdoor areas contain the best equipment and are the right design so that children can continue their EYFS learning journey outside of the classroom.
The appropriate outdoor learning equipment in Lye Head is essential for any nursery. Not only does it serve as an educational tool to pupils, but it also sets a visual tone for the nursery.
Considering that we so often make judgements based on appearances, the best outdoor learning equipment can create a good first impression for visitors too- whether this is prospective parents or OFSTED.
It really is your 'front of house' image and visitors will form initial impressions of a nursery or school based on how its grounds look. Attractive yet purposeful outdoor learning apparatus is, therefore, a must.
Colourful floor markings that may be produced in a variety of interesting designs, consisting of letters, numbers, maps, planets and other graphics. These not only look attractive but can also be used to promote learning through fun activities.
Besides floor markings, another popular playground feature is the use of trim trails. These are perfect for smaller playground areas as they consist of a range of different components which can enhance many different mental and physical skills- one area could help children practise and develop balance, another area could allow kids to practise a greater variety of physical activities.
Trim trails are an excellent piece of outdoor learning equipment because they allow children to build up different skills through a variety of different activities.
Activities with numbers are popular in play-areas, allowing children to enjoy mathematic games and to reinforce numeracy. Hopscotch or number snake markings could be applied to the floor, along with interactive game boards.
Outdoor learning equipment such as these means that youngsters can learn about numbers and begin to master counting skills. Likewise, activities relating to EYFS numeracy can also be applied to literacy too- by using letters or phonic sounds to reinforce knowledge taught in the classroom when the pupils are outside.
Children in EYFS, KS1 and KS2 grow and develop many key skills through playing outside. With the right outdoor equipment which follows OFSTED guidelines for outdoor learning and educational play, the playground environment is one where young kids can thrive and progress.
Literacy is a key part of children's learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage into primary and secondary school. It is crucial to incorporate language and communication into everyday activities to ensure that children are constantly exposed to literacy.
The EYFS has a strong emphasis on the importance of EYFS learning phonics (the sounds of different letters and combinations of letters). Without a knowledge of phonics, a child will simply not be able to read or write.
Educational outdoor play equipment again offers the perfect opportunity to teach children this vital life skill. Taking phonics lessons outside creates a more exciting environment, giving youngsters a change of scene.
Playground floor markings or equipment could be marked with different sounds like 'ee', 'oo', 'ch' along with letters and simple words. Equipment like sandboxes and water tables can be used to hide pebbles with phonics written on them.
This then creates an educational treasure hunt where children have to find the right sounds or words by searching through the sand or water.
The appropriate outdoor educational playground equipment can easily be used and adapted for playing a variety of phonics games for Early Years, KS1 and KS2. A playground that reinforces the phonics rules being taught in the classroom builds this knowledge in kids, whilst maintaining a level of fun and play.
The main type of play encouraged for toddlers is exploratory play, which allows children to learn by exploring different objects. This crucial part of the EYFS curriculum is easily met by providing the right type of outdoor equipment to youngsters.
Popular products that provide educational play for toddlers include tunnel and channelling sets, building blocks, sandpits and mud play kitchens. All of these can be enjoyed by children to allow them to discover a range of materials and textures, as well as seeing how each material moves and feels. The mess is enjoyed and encouraged!
As well as physical and sensory equipment, educational playing for toddlers must be visual too! Brightly coloured letters, numbers or shapes marked on the ground allow for a multitude of learning games. Tents and playhouses not only look attractive but also allow for youngsters to explore the world through role-playing.
Activities like these encourage children to explore the world and their environment. At a later stage, they can then progress to learn about natural processes like the flow of water, plant growth in soil, and digging for shells in the sand.
Therefore, it is important to consider how you can get the most out of your outdoor educational apparatus: how might toddlers be able to use it? How might the same toddlers use it again when they are older and you wish to teach them something new using your existing outdoor playground equipment?
Without a doubt, having the right educational outdoor play equipment is an essential part of meeting the requirement of the EYFS curriculum. With the pressures of KS2 testing and GCSEs increasing, youngsters have to begin their educational journey from the moment they step foot into your nursery.
The beauty of this though is that enjoyment of outside play can be used as the first step to arm these youngsters with the skills that they will need for the rest of their lives. We have a number of local educational equipment suppliers that can offer a huge range of educational outdoor play equipment in Lye Head DY12 2 so please get in touch for more information.